Improvement in elevators connected to wagon-bodies



'MfoBALFoUR improve-ment in Elevator Connected to Wagon Bodios;

10.124,531. y Pamgdmarchmdvz.

MATTHEW Gr. BALFOUR, OF MASON CITY, IOWA.

IMPROVEMENT INELEVATORS CONNECTED TO WAGON-BODIES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 124,531, dated March 12, 1872.

Tardi whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MATTHEW G. BALFOUR, of Mason City, in the county of Cerro Gordo and State of Iowa, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Elevatin g Tail-Boards for Wagons, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompa- 'nying drawing.

Nature and Object of the Invention.

object of the invention is to provide a wagonbody with a device, by means of which articles can be loaded upon or unloaded from it with facility.

Description of the Accompanying Drawing.

Figure l is a side view of the device, illustrat-ing the operation of elevating a package. Fig. 2 is a similar view of same, showing the manner of securing the tail-board to the end ofthe wagon-body.

General Description.

A in the accompanying drawing represents a wagonbody, the extreme rear ends of the sides of which are so inclined that the upper corners or points thereof project beyond the ends of the bottom ofthe wagon-body, which, however, exceeds in length the lower edges of the sides to an extent equal to the thickness of the tail-board, so as to afford a support therefor. To the outside of the wagon-body, imme mediately adjacent to the said inclined ends, is secured the 'strap B, the upper extremities of which are provided with the eyes Z, which project to the rear beyond and stand out on opposite sides from the upper part of the wagonbody, to which the straps B are attached. At the lower extremities ot' these straps are pro* vided the pawls G, which engage the teeth of `the ratchet-wheels D when the ratchet is moved toward the pawls. The shaft E revolves in journals iixed to the under side of the bottom of the wagonbody A, its extreme ends a: having angular sides so as to be operated by a crank or wrench. Adjacent to these ends are the collars F, between which and the ratchets D the chains H are secured and received when wound up. These chains pass over concaves or han ged pulley-wheels I in the blocks L, provided with the hooks M. The other ends of the chains are secured to rings N, which connect the rings in the extremities of the rods O. The other ends ofthe rods are hooked into the the eyes in the ends of the ears P, which are properly secured to the sides and back of the tail-board R, lwhich is of proper dimensions, and hinged at its longitudinal center so as to partially close when the chains are drawn taut, and thus prevent any article rolling oft' the tail-board while being elevated. When the device is not in operation the blocks L may be hung by the hooks M in the eyes on the pieces S. The tailboard Ris secured at the rear end of the wagon-body, being held by the chains H being drawn taut, the hooksM having been placed in the eyes on the pieces S.

It is obvious that the invention can be applied to a wagonbody similarly provided, but having vert-ical instead of inclined edges at its rear, it being only necessary to have the eyes Z project a proper distance rearward.

Operation. Raise the pawls G 5 place the hooks M in the eyes Z in the ends of the straps B; remove the drawn taut, the tail-board being hinged at its center, its upper' and lower edges are raised above its center, thus preventing the article on the tail^board slipping or rolling off of it.

It is obvious that the tailboard can be suspended at any point by allowing the pawls to engage the ratchetwheels, which prevents the che-ins H running out., and thus holds the taiL the ratchet-wheel 1), for the uses and purposes boa-rd R suspended. substentieliy as shown. and described.

Y l In testimony that I claim the foregoing i11- Ohmms ventiou of improvements in elevating: mil- What I claim as myinvention, and'diiet'o boards for wagons, as above described, I have secure by Letters Patent, ishereunto setmy hand and seal this 22d day of l. The hin ged mii-bonrml R, substantially as January, 1872.

shown and described. MATTHEW G. BALFOUR. [LS/.1

2 The hinged teil-board R, provided with Witnessem the rods O, in combination with the chains H, J. V. W. MONTAGUE,

eyes Z,b1ook L7paw1 G, shaft E provided with WM. BRETT. 

